Article 01-18-1 is being republished in its entirety to update the model year coverage and vehicle line applications.

ISSUE

Corporate, municipal, or police fleets may have had their Ford Motor Company vehicle modified to flash the brake lamps whenever the "police lights" or other aftermarket lights are turned on. These added "police lights" have the potential to disable the brake shift interlock system. The brake shift interlock feature prevents the vehicle from being shifted from park unless the brake pedal is depressed. Disabling of the brake shift interlock feature may enable the operator to inadvertently apply the accelerator instead of the brake pedal when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse gears.

ACTION

As appropriate, dealers should advise owners (including corporate, municipal, and police agencies) that any vehicle that has been modified with a connection to the brake circuit, or that electrically interfaces with the brake lamps in that manner, should be disconnected IMMEDIATELY and the emergency lighting system should be modified in a manner that does not interfere with normal service operation or the brake shift interlock. In addition, if the high-mount stoplamp flashes when the "police lights" are on, the modification does not conform with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 108 which requires that the high-mount stoplamp only illuminate when applying the brakes.

Installation of warning lights should only be performed with a completely separate electrical system, without connection to any existing vehicle wiring. Connection of aftermarket electrical equipment into the brake lamp circuit or any other circuit which is connected to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), anti-lock brake computer, air bag system, or any other vehicle system, will cause vehicle malfunction.